


The Truth Will Out

by hollowlife



Category: Lucifer (TV)
Genre: Angel!Whump, Angels, Epic Reveal of All Reveals, Gen, Lucifer!whump, Wings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-26
Updated: 2018-04-16
Packaged: 2019-03-24 10:36:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 17,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13809420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hollowlife/pseuds/hollowlife
Summary: An undercover setup leads to the epic reveal of all reveals. Chloe, Ella and Dan finally learn the full truth about Lucifer....Devil, Angel and all in between.





	1. Visitation

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfic for Lucifer. Love the show, love the characters.
> 
> This story had been rolling around my head for months. Literally months, to the point I couldn't sleep because of this story idea. Figured putting it in text would finally clear my mind!!!
> 
> I've taken bits and pieces of biblical, comic and internet information about Lucifer, the Devil etc etc to write my story. So technically it isn't canon - just my mind picking what I liked. Yes, I actually researched the Devil/Lucifer on the Internet. Crazy, eh?

**Chapter 1 - Visitation**

__

A light whooshing sound filled the open concrete space.

__

"Hello Samael."

__

Lucifer froze at the almost heavenly sounding male voice that lilted behind him. He slowly turned around to see who was behind them. He was sure his eyes flashed red.

__

It took a moment for him to settle.

__

"Gabriel. What on Earth are you doing here?" Lucifer's tone was dark and cold.

__

"Why, to see you my dear brother." came Gabriel's breezy reply.

.............................  
_30 minutes prior_

"Okay, so it looks like we are ready to go." Chloe announced to the group. "Everything is in place." She turned her attention to the occupants in the tiny room.  


Dan, Lucifer and Ella were all standing together, waiting for last minute instructions.

The four of them were currently huddled in a small room in a partially completed office building still in the middle of construction. They were on the 10th floor, though the building when complete boasted that it would have over 25 floors. The tenth floor they had taken over was still in the middle of construction. The walls and basic room floor plan had all been framed in and dry walled but the windows were still unpaned. The ceiling of the next floor were merely a grid of thick support and floor beams, partially covered, partially open to the sky. It was mostly a concrete open space, with thick iron I-beams dominating the internal area. Open and exposed. Naked square concrete pillars were the only things standing in the wide open space, supporting the above beams, an area that would eventually be containing cubicles and offices and all manner of business office paraphernalia.

It was in one of the small offices on the finished 9th floor that the foursome were crammed into now. Chloe, Dan and Ella were wearing their typical casual yet practical LAPD outfits and Lucifer was in his typical perfectly tailored black Armani suit, complimented with a white dress shirt and deep red pocket square. The only small addition was the tiny wireless earbud listening device in Lucifer's left ear and a small wireless microphone carefully set into the lapel of his suit jacket as backup.

"So we have the plan clear, yeah?" Chloe now reiterated, as she tested the multiple camera pictures moving around the large laptop screen. As difficult as it was, several tiny cameras and microphones had been carefully and surreptitiously installed on the 10th floor to record the entire encounter.

"Yes yes yes. I will do my magic, you will be recording the encounter, and we will get the bad guy." Lucifer replied impatiently, before pulling out his flask and taking a long swig.

"Lucifer, you know how important this is." Chloe admonished. "You need to take this seriously."

"Of course Detective. I always take things seriously. I will be on my best behaviour." He flashed the Detective his winning smile while Dan rolled his eyes.  
Ella just chuckled at the banter.

Despite the reassurances, a small crease of worry appeared in the middle of Chloe's forehead.

Ella tried to reassure her. "Don't worry Chloe, I am sure everything will be alright. We'll get the bad guy, finally close off this investigation. 

"And though I hate to say it, Lucifer won't let us down, _will you?_ " Dan pointedly added.

Lucifer offered a slight bow. "Of course not, _Detective Douche._ "

"Funny. Anyway, in less than two hours, this little sting operation will be over." Dan added. "And Lucifer can get back to being his typical annoying dick self."

"Ha, ha." Lucifer now opened the office door, intending on heading for the 10th floor.

"And we can finally nail this bastard to the wall." Chloe's demeanour finally relaxed and she let out a satisfied smiled.

...................

The details of the case once again started rolling through Chloe's head. Three months ago, the LAPD started investigating a high-end artifact smuggling operation. The wealthy were the main targets, the victims but in some of the cases, also the guilty. 

The criminals had taken to targeting the jet set rich crowd in LA, whenever they held a party or ball or whatever it was that they did. The thieves would somehow be at the parties, disappear for a while, breaking into the safes or display rooms and steal the unique antique objects. Other times they would disappear a guest, knock them out and take any antique jewels that the guest just happened to be wearing. 

The twist of the case was what kind of artifacts were stolen. Always antique pieces - rare and unique and rooted in history - that were priceless and irreplacable. One could write volumes detailing the history of each individual piece.

Unfortunately, in the quest for the special antique artifacts, there were four murders. The LAPD was treating this as a serial killer with the theft a secondary concern. The rumour was that a secret religious organization were targeting specific artifacts.

Chloe shook her head at the thought. Four people had died just so some religious thieves could make a nice divine collection of gold and gems.

Lucifer had scoffed when she mentioned this. "Detective, to some individuals, some of the pieces may contain some perceived - he emphasied the word _perceived_ \- powers that many would love to be able to control." Though he sounded skeptical, there was a darkness and concern in his eyes.

The high-profile nature - _read wealthy victims_ \- of this case had the Mayor and Governor step in and demand the LAPD's attention on it at once.

That was three months ago.

Then they came to Chloe.

Or more accurately, she realized, they came to Lucifer. Someone who had an 'in' with said wealthy elite. They decided that Lucifer would go undercover and pretend to be someone looking to sell a special religious talisman, just like what the thief/murders were looking for. The item had been donated by one of the victims’ families, on the assurance that the thieves had already known about it and had attempted to rob the piece three weeks ago.

The item in question was a small triptych, four by five inches in size, with beautiful hand-painted portraits on each panel, accented with tiny jewels and delicate gold leaf.

Chloe's mind went back to how Lucifer had reacted to the exquisite piece when they first received possession.

When Lucifer opened the triptych to examine the paintings, he stared at the images for the longest time, before scoffing in a disgusted voice. "Typical of you humans, painting falsehoods. I did actually wear clothing. And my wings did not and do not look like leathery batwings. And they are not black. Nor clawed. And bloody hell! What kind of musculature is that? I do not look like that, at all. This is absolutely shameful."

He carelessly dropped the triptych on Chloe's desk and stormed out of the precinct, pulling both his flask and pack of cigarettes from his pockets.  
Chloe was used to these outbursts from her partner who claimed to be the Devil but he seemed particularly pissed off. She picked up the small three-paneled painting and carefully studied the images.

On the left and the right were images of two powerful looking angels, almost identical in face and form. Both were standing tall, wings outstretched and divine-looking, each holding a shield in their respective outermost hands. Each curly-haired angel was positioned so that they were angled toward the center panel. The only difference in the depictions was the hair colour. One was blond, the other a surprising red. Other than that, there was nothing about the features of the angels that she could identify as a specific biblical figure, but then Chloe wasn't any expert - or even novice - of biblical characters, stories or imagery.

Chloe's eyes moved to the middle image. Now she could understand why Lucifer might be a bit annoyed. The painting was an image of two more angels. At the top of the small screen, a larger angel was standing tall and victorious, wings pulled in behind his back, the top wing arcs visible over the shoulders. The angel looked classically beautiful, with golden curly hair, aquiline nose and sharp chin. He was tall, slender and strong. If she didn't know any better, he could almost be a blond version of her partner. The angel was wearing what looked to be a Roman military breastplate and shin guards and was holding a spear to the throat of another angel.

This figure, though, Chloe knew exactly who it was supposed to represent.

_The Angel Lucifer_

She could see why her vain partner was irritated.

The painting depicted this _Lucifer_ in a most unflattering way. The angel was painfully arched back, wings outstretched, arms flailing. The spear from the other angel was positioned at Lucifer's throat. The image was as though Satan was in the middle of the act of falling. The outstretched wings looked leathery and hideous, coloured black with small claws pointed and sharp at the tips and wing joints.

As her Lucifer had complained about, Satan was depicted completely naked, with a strange muscle formation. There were bulges were there shouldn't be and things smaller than they should. The body looked nothing like her Lucifer or even a typical human; it was more bulky and beastlike in a strange way. It was almost grotesque.

But it was the face of the Devil that Chloe spent the most time studying. Satan was depicted as defiant and angry yet strained and even a hint of regretful. The eyes were wide and wild, mouth open as though snarling a scream or rebellious yell.

She knew her partner was self-absorbed about his 'persona', but she could understand his issue. No one knew what the real Devil would have looked like - if there was one - but for someone who claimed to be that person, she could understand Lucifer's annoyance. But he should have known better.  


Of course the actual Devil would be depicted like this.

Satan was supposed to be evil incarnate, right? A hideous creature. 

What did her Lucifer expect?

.................

"Alright, tested the video and audio again. It seems to be working fine." Dan flipped a switch. "On the screen, they saw Lucifer enter the 10th floor of the building, a slight gust of wind ruffling his hair as he did.

"Hey Lucifer? Can you hear me okay?" Dan tested the microphone.

"I can hear you loud and clear, Detective Douche." They could see Lucifer's smirk in response to Dan.

"Just remember what we talked about. Steer the conversation to get him to implicate himself, get some names, make the offer, then just close the deal and let him leave. No theatrics." Dan reiterated.

"Come now, Daniel. When have I ever been _theatrical_?"

Ella snorted in response. "Oh never, Luce. _Never._ "

Chloe put her own pair of headphones over her ears. "Look, just be ready. The suspect is supposed to be here any minute."

"Always ready and willing to make a deal, Detective."

....................

Lucifer stood with his hands in his pockets, slightly swaying, waiting for the action to begin. This was going to be fun, he thought. Manipulations of corrupt humans was something he enjoyed, as the evil ones were so easily swayed. And catching someone - or someone’s - who had killed four people definitely deserved his attention.

And his eternal punishment.

A loud bang sounded in the room. The detectives must of picked it up also, because he heard Chloe whisper, "Time to get this show on the road".  
Lucifer smiled. Yes indeed. He didn't see anyone yet, but spoke out loud anyway into the open space. "Hello there, whoever you are. How about we make a deal on some beautiful ancient artifacts?"

A light whooshing sound filled the open concrete space.

"Hello Samael."

Lucifer froze at the almost heavenly sounding male voice that lilted behind him. He slowly turned around to see who was behind them. He was sure his eyes flashed red.

It took a moment for him to settle.

"Gabriel. What on Earth are you doing here?" Lucifer's tone was dark and cold.

"Why, to see you my dear brother." came Gabriel's breezy reply.

......................

In the small unfinished office, Chloe noticed the screen. "Dan, what's going on? Who is that? Is that the perp?" She had been expecting some shady looking guy in a perfectly tailored suit who looked typically criminal, as stereotypical as criminals could look.

She leaned toward the screen and pointed to the white-clad redheaded figure standing ten feet from Lucifer. Chloe has to blink twice to take in the image. The stranger was tall and slender, with thick wavy red hair that curled low on his neck. He was wearing what looked like a monk's robe - it was bright white in colour, like a loose-fitted yet stylish sheath, almost skimming the floor. He looked to be wearing flat leather sandals, trimmed in what seemed to be like gold and silver.

"I don't know. Do you think this could be one of the thieves?" Dan answered. "I mean, they are stealing religious artifacts. He could be part of some obscure religious order or something."

"Yeah, but I think Lucifer knows him. They didn't introduce each other. He already knew his name was Gabriel."

Chloe let out a long sigh. _Please don't tell me Lucifer is going to end up being connected to this case - again._ "Lucifer, you okay?" She demanded more than asked.

He ignored her question.

The red-head stepped forward one pace. "I've missed you, Samael."

"What are you doing here?" Lucifer demanded, his voice low and dangerous.

"I've come to see you." He answered, bright and happy.

Lucifer slipped his hands into his pants pocket as he flashed him a big fake smile. "Well, isn't this nice. Visiting me whilst making yet another one of your vaunted field trips. How lovely." His face went serious. "Now that you have seen me, get out."

Gabriel took another tentative step towards Lucifer.

"I am here to help you and your human with your case."

Lucifer cocked his head in amusement. "Really? Help me? _And my human?_ I assure you that my human and I are doing quite well. Now _leave!_ "

Gabriel let out a light understanding sigh, then moved again towards Lucifer. "I have very much missed you brother." He took one final step forward, now mere inches from Lucifer. Both men were the same height, looking at each other eye to eye.

Lucifer's body slightly arched back, wary of what his brother was planning in his strange movements.

"Have you now? So much that you haven't even bothered to visit me in my domain. The home that Father so kindly banished me to." He said, tone dripping with sarcasm and anger. "I mean, it's been millenia since I've fallen and ruled over Hell. Why not a visit then, eh?"

Gabriel just tilted his head to the side as he let out a serene beatific smile. He raised his hand and lightly ran his fingers along Lucifer's chest, as though testing if the corporeal form was real. Then he moved even closer, and bending down, rested his head against Lucifer's shoulder.

"Do you remember when we used to play together?"

In his ear, he could hear both Chloe and Dan saying, "What in the hell....?"

.....................

Chloe, Ella and Dan's eyes were glued to the screen. "Please tell me this isn't some old boyfriend, weird sex role-playing thing?" Dan asked. He wasn't at all embarrassed by his question. Not anymore. Lucifer was known for doing...many unusual things.

"Lucifer what's going on?" Chloe asked. As she did, the door to the 10th floor opened and a black-suited man carefully peered in.

"That's him! That's the suspect!" Ella exclaimed, pointing to the emergency exit door on the screen. All eyes focused on the man on screen, large, muscular and dangerous looking. He looked at the two men in what appeared to be a close intimate encounter, yelled out, "This is not what I signed up for!" turned tail and hauled ass down the steps.

"Goddamn it," Dan exclaimed, slamming his hand on the table. Chloe exhaled in exasperation while Ella let out a shriek, "That was him! Oh my god, he's getting away."

Chloe sighed, leaning back in her chair in exasperation. She started rubbing her brow. "Just great. Our evidence and set up just got away." Her voice was angrier now, "Who the hell is this Gabriel guy, Lucifer?"

On the monitor, Gabriel was lightly running his fingers down Lucifer's chest and arm, while his head still rested against Lucifer's shoulder.

Chloe added, "You'd better not have ruined this for some weird incestual BDSM roll-playing thing that you....that you are in to."

Lucifer didn't reply, but Chloe could see that his face was absolutely livid. A cold shiver went through Chloe's spine at the expression on his face. She also watched as Lucifer removed his earpiece and flicked it away.

_"Lucifer!"_

Gabriel was still lightly stroking his brothers’ chest, his face a mixture of love and guilt meshed together.

"I will ask you again, Gabriel. Why are you here?" Lucifer finally pushed the other man away and took one step back, expression and body tense all over, unmoved by the red-headed Angel's intimate actions.

"Do you remember when we first tried to fly, Samael?

"Do _not_ call me that."

Gabriel's face was imploring. "Remember when we both ended up crashing into one of Father's celestial fountains, breaking the sacred statues? Three times we did that."

" _Gabriel..._ "

"Please, brother." His tone was pleading. "Do you remember?"

Lucifer retreated further back. "Yes." The hesitation was long. "Yes, I do remember." He took another two steps back from Gabriel, needing to move away. And move away from the memories.

"Do you remember when we first learned to soar, when we first learned to battle? When we first understood how to move between the planes of existence? You were always by my side."

"Yes."

"Oh Samael..."

"Do _not_ call me that name."

Gabriel simply smiled beatifically. "Do you remember when we first visited the Garden, to watch Father's new creations..."

"Enough!" Lucifer yelled loudly. "I do not need to hear these little reminiscent stories. Why do you think I care about reliving the past? I am the Fallen One, the Devil, the so-called Evil One - do you think I care about my time with you in the Silver City?"

"Yes, you do, Samael." Gabriel quickly moved forward and wrapped his hands around Lucifer, pulling him forward into a solid hug. "You do."

" _What is this?_ " Lucifer asked, his tone furious but thoroughly confused.

Gabriel pulled back from Lucifer, then took Lucifer's right hand in his own, gently stroking the ever-present onxy ring. "I have only come to help you, brother. Help you and your beloved human at your task at hand."

Lucifer angrily pulled his hand away. "You have never been this affection and attentive before, Gabriel. And why do you think we require your help? We have been quite successful without your illustrious assistance." Lucifer took another few steps back from his brother and removed his flask from his inner pocket. "Until now. You and your ill-timed arrival just ruined our setup." He took a long pull of the whiskey within, eyeing Gabriel warily.

"I am sorry." The tall red-head managed to look contrite. "But you do not need that human. What we have brought is much more important and will aid you quite well in your endeavour." This time, he reached into a non-visible pocket in his robes and pulled out a small ancient looking scroll rolled up inside a small leather bag. The parchment looked to be thousands of years old, the curled up parchment looked cracked with age, delicate and fragile. He held out the scroll to Lucifer. "Please, Samael, you must read this, understand it. This will help you in your quest."

Lucifer looked at the decaying parchment for a long moment, the expression on his face changing from one of curiousness to outright anger. His eyes moved up to Gabriel's, again flaming red in fury. "You said we. Who the hell is _We?_ "

Gabriel had the decency to look embarrassed.

......................

_to be continued_


	2. The Origin of Light

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little visit from some unwanted guests and more about Lucifer is revealed!

It seemed like Lucifer had forgotten that he was still mic’d up and Chloe, Ella and Dan could hear every word.

"Did you see Lucifer's eyes?" Dan exclaimed. "I swear they flashed red."

Both Ella and Chloe looked at Dan in surprise.

"Did you say red? Like as in red light." Ella asked.

"His eyes went red. I'm sure of it."

"No...no, I didn’t. I was looking at the other guy." Chloe tentatively answered.

"I missed it too. Are you sure it wasn't something with the camera?" Ella supplied.

Dan shook his head, eyes slightly wide in confusion. Ella fell silent, biting her thumb as her mind whirled.

Chloe shook her head. "I don't understand what's going on here. Is that supposed to be Lucifer's brother?" She took a deep breath, the irritation clear in her tone. "I mean, he always said he had lots of siblings, but...."

Ella now piped up. "Man, what a family. Lucifer, Gabriel. Amenadiel. They sure liked to give angel names to their kids." She peered closer to the screen. "Wait, what’s he handing over to Lucifer." On the screen, the curly red-head who called himself Gabriel was trying to hand Lucifer an old scroll wrapped in a leather bag. He was claiming it would help Lucifer and Chloe - _his human! the hell?_ \- with their investigation.

Chloe was shocked though. She had never, ever seen her partner this furious before. Moments appeared every now and again, but this seething anger - she had never seen Lucifer this rattled and utterly deadly in the entire time she had known him.

There was something almost murderous in her partners' expression. Another small shiver inadvertently went down her spine.

"So what do we do now? I mean, our setup is busted, our guy gone and I guarantee you he won't come back after seeing... _that_." Dan was still trying to wrap his head over the strange intimacy between the two tall men who were supposed brothers. "I really don't want to interfere with some of Lucifer's weird family problems." Dan declared. "And why is he calling Lucifer, Samael?"

"Samael's also a biblical name." Ella muttered under her breath. The usually spunky forensics tech's brow was furrowed deep in thought.

The three returned their full attention to the screen, hearing Lucifer angrily demand _who is we?_

The three voyeurs could see that Gabriel had the grace to look regretful and almost ashamed. "Please, Samael. My apologies, _Lucifer_. But it is important for us to deliver this scroll to you and your human."

Before Lucifer could question, a loud whooshing sound once again filled the room. Two more beings seemed to materialize out of nowhere and appeared on either side of the tall redhead.

"What the.....?" Dan blurted out. "Did you see that?"

Chloe and Ella were too dumbstruck to answer.

But they could all see Lucifer's expression and demeanour turn even more dark and murderous.

The two figures - a man and a woman - were dressed similar to Gabriel, clad in long white robes that draped to the floor. Unlike Gabriel, the pair had thick leather belts securing the loose yet tapered fabric around their waist. If Chloe was right, it looked like long steel swords were sheathed into leather-like scabbards that hung from each of their belts. The man had shoulder-length golden curly blond hair, whilst the woman had long waist-length straight black hair. Both were tall and slender, just as Gabriel - and Lucifer - was.

"How…how did they do that?" Dan asked, clearly rattled. "The cameras working properly, right? I mean, they just _appeared_ out of nowhere."

Studying the figures on screen, if Chloe didn't know better, these people could be straight out of an elite modelling agency.

They could also be....

Ella and Dan were thinking the same. "They kind of look like Lucifer, you know? Sort of, kinda. Do you think they really are his siblings?" Ella asked. "Why would they be here? Why now?" She still had that troubled look on her face.

"I don't know...." Chloe was just as troubled. She started rubbing her brow in frustration. A small headache was starting to develop. What the hell was going on here? She was tempted to go up to the 10th floor and put a stop to this once and for all, but something told her to stay put. In her gut, she felt that something epic was going to happen.

And her gut was rarely if ever wrong.

.......................

"Well, well, well. How lovely. More visitors. So good to see you, Azrael. Michael. It's been quite a long time, hasn't it? Times flies since one is bound and chained, wings broken and thrown over the edge to fall and burn and wallow in the depths of Hell." The sarcasm dripped like thick molasses from Lucifer lips, his tone getting darker and more vicious with each word from his mouth.

Chloe amended her thought from before. Lucifer may have been furious and murderous before, but the expression in his face and tone in his voice....she almost felt her blood run to ice.

"¡Dios mío….¡Dios mío…" Ella whispered under her breath, hand covering her mouth in disbelief. "It can't be. It can't."

"It can't what?" Chloe asked, her eyes never leaving the screen. But her question remained unanswered.

In their earpieces, Lucifer demanded again, voice impossibly more livid, "What are you three doing here, darkening my life and wasting my time?"

"We've come to visit you, dear big brother." The blond man nonchalantly answered. "We've come to help our traitorous, evil, rebellious, sinful, pathetic, useless excuse for a former Archangel."

.................................

"Well now Michael. How thoroughly kind of you to take time out of your lute playing and hymning and praying and Father-worshipping and self-flagellation and all manner of activities that Father holds so dear. And on that note... _get out of my sight_. You don't belong here.

"Please, Samael..." Gabriel pleaded.

Azrael cut him off, "And nor do you, big brother, belong here. You know where you belong."

Lucifer turned to his sister, his anger barely holding in check. "If you are here in yet another attempt to return me to Hell, you are wasting your precious time. And for the last time, do not call me Samael."

Michael smiled, a sinister curl of his lips almost as chilling as the Devil's. "Ah, that's right. LOO-SI-FER. Interesting little name to go by."

Lucifer now took one step closer to the trio of celestials. Though all the same height, his anger almost made him seem to loom threateningly over his siblings. "Yes, and one that I choose. _My choice_. Let's see. Father chose to name you Michael, who 'Is like God', yes? How lovely. And you Gabriel, 'God is my strength' Powerful. And you dear sister, Azrael, who is 'God's help'. How lovely. Reassuring that you are so beneficent on Father's behalf."

Lucifer took another menacing step forward. "Father blessed you with all of these lovely perfect little names for you lot, didn't he? But what did my name mean? What did Samael mean? Not 'Glory of God', or 'Wonder of God’, oh no. No, I am the 'Venom of God'. Well, isn't that lovely." Lucifer stopped his advance, sliding his hands in his trouser pockets, an air of superiority in his stance.

"But do not forget. _I_ was the one to create the stars. _I_ was his Light-Bringer. _I_ was the first and the most powerful. And instead of being known as a venomous servant of god, I choose to go by a name that defined me.

 _Defines! Me_!"

..................

"Holy Hell." Ella exclaimed.

Chloe and Dan were both completely lost at the conversation that was enfolding on the screen. If Chloe didn't know better, she'd think this was some recital for some elaborate biblical stage production.

She glanced over at Ella, whose was wringing her hands as she kept muttering under her breath.

"Ella, what's wrong?" Dan asked concerned.

"I never even realized...I mean, you hear the name _Lucifer_ , your mind goes to one thing...."

"The Devil. Satan." Dan replied. “Something evil.”

"Yes." Ella was currently biting her bottom lip, almost drawing blood.

"What is it, Ella?" Chloe asked patiently, placing a comforting hand on the Forensic Tech's arm in reassurance.

"Satan himself." As though a reflexive reaction, Ella quickly made the sign of the cross over her chest. Blushing a little at this, she took in a few deep breaths as she tried to gather her thoughts. "I always...I always thought that Lucifer called his nightclub LUX, because it was supposed to be a short form for luxury, or luxurious or something like that. That's what I always thought. But it's not. I can't believe I forgot my Latin."

She turned towards Chloe and Dan, who were both looking at her with intense interest.

"You heard Michael. The name _Lucifer_." At Dan and Chloe's blank expressions, she sounded it out as Michael had done, " _LOO-SI-FER._ "

The other two still had blank looks on their faces.

Ella grabbed a piece of paper and a pen. She wrote the word _lux_ and _fero_ on the page. "See this word _lux_? It's Latin. It means light."

Both detectives nodded that they understood.

Ella was growing excited as she continued, her words coming out more rapidly as she tried to get her thoughts out into the open. "And this word, _fero_.  It means to bear or to bring." She took a deep breath.

"Okay". Chloe prompted her to continue.

"So lots of words in Latin are made up of others. Compound words like we have. So if you are leading with the word light," she tapped the word _lux_ , "you would write it a certain way. And if you wanted to say light-bearer or light-bringer, you would attach the word _fero_ , or if used in the present tense, _fer_. Sometimes other letters are added for the transition."

Chloe and Dan looked at each other, each knowing exactly where this was going. She felt a knot in her stomach.

" _Lux_ would be written like this," Ella demonstrated on the paper, "and to add the second word, you would write it like this."

Dan and Chloe stared at the letters on the paper.

In big block letters stood the letters,

**_LUC-I-FER_ **

"Light-bringer." Chloe whispered.

The three fell silent. Never had Lucifer's strange sounding name seemed so....purposeful. And meaningful. But they kept calling him this other name? _Samael_?  Was that Lucifer's birth name? Venom of God? What kind of parents did Lucifer have?

"Chloe, did Lucifer ever mention any of this to you?" Dan asked.

"No, no he never did. And I never bothered to ask why his parents named him Lucifer. And I never heard him ever mention the name Samael." she trailed off herself, trying to word her answer correctly. "Like Ella said. You hear the name, you think just one thing. But I just know that he didn't lie about his name. I didn't even know he _had_ another name." Chloe paused for a moment in thought. "But Lucifer always claims that he's the Devil. How is being a 'light-bringer' related to being the supposed big bad Satan." Chloe now sensibly asked.

Ella of course had the answer. "Because that's who the Devil was supposed to be. Before he fell. He was supposed to be a rebellious angel who created the stars in the night sky, before he rebelled against God and was thrown out of Heaven. At least, that's what some of the religious stories say." Ella answered.

"Where did the Morningstar part come from?" Chloe asked.

"From the planet Venus." Dan answered.

Both women looked at him in surprise. He himself looked taken-back. "I liked astronomy as a kid, okay." He shrugged, but still seemed slightly dazed. "The very first 'star' that rose in the morning was Venus. But it also had a nickname. _The Morningstar_. "

Ella clarified, "In some old Latin texts, the word _lucifer_ actually meant _morningstar_.  They used it to describe the first star seen in the morning. In some writings, Venus is the first star the Angel Samael was supposed to have created. Other writings say the star was created by the first Fallen Angel; The Archangel Lucifer."

Silence once again fell over the room. The three all took a deep breath as more realizations seemed to hit. But there were still so many questions.

So many more.

They all turned their attention back to the screens, watching Lucifer angrily face down his apparent siblings.

Whatever they were.

.........................

"Yes, well, Lucifer may define you, but you are definitely no Light-Bringer anymore, you traitor." Michael piped up, defiant and annoyed. "Still, we are required to help you, so we have come."

The expression on Lucifer's face morphed once again, as though he had gotten a hold of his emotions. From his livid state, he managed to switch back into this charming and confident persona. "Well now. Then what do I owe this pleasure of your visit?" Lucifer asked, smile wide yet dangerous. "You want to help. How lovely. But I don't need it, so you may shoo off. I am sure there is a shepherd and camel or some statute you need to make bleed to attend to."

Azrael had a peevish look on her face, and her voice mirrored that. While Gabriel seemed thrilled to see Lucifer, and while Michael looking like he wanted nothing more than to murder the Devil on the spot, Azrael just looked like a bored child. She wanted to be anywhere but here, looking like a petulant teenager forced to join.

It was now that Lucifer spoke directly to his sister. "And Azrael. Lovely seeing you here." His eyes went to her waist, at the gleaming silver sword at her side. "I see Father had replaced your little toy. It's too bad you couldn't have come much much earlier to retrieve it, and save me and the Detective a lot of trouble."

Azrael scowled at him. "Yes, dear brother, well, I was busy. And Father did replace it. The Angel of Death does need her special implement to ensure her tasks and duties are properly taken care of." She bared her teeth. "And would you happen to know where my original blade disappeared to? I hear you used it to its full advantage. Pity."

Lucifer's smile slightly faltered. Of course they knew what happened with the sword. He had used it to kill Uriel, his rogue brother, to save the detective and their Mother, and it was currently somewhere floating through the cosmos of the alternate Universe that he had created to send away the Goddess of Creation.

They knew.

But Lucifer wouldn't let that bother him, "It was put to good use, it turns out. Helped save Heaven and all that. You should be thanking me. But I guess you lot didn't much care what was going to happen with Mother, or about a potential war in the Silver City, now did you?"

That little dig did nothing to appease Michael and Azrael. Gabriel just looked sad.

Lucifer moved the topic along. "So that is old news. So now the new news. Why would you feathery bastards bother to come here to help?"

"Because Father wanted us to."

Lucifer let out a loud booming laugh. "Father wanted to help me and the Detective! This was his idea? Ha! You must be joking."

"Well, he didn't say it in as many words." Azrael groused.

Lucifer stopped his laughing, his expression immediately serious. "Father is a master manipulator and this is yet another one of his attempts to manipulate _me!_ "

Michael scoffed. "You lie. Father is the purest most pious and powerful holy being. He would never ensure these tricks. Especially on someone as unworthy as yourself."

Lucifer let out a barking laugh. "My dear brother, I think you've been drinking from the wrong end of the manna fountain for too long. All of that Father-worshipping and human manipulations and choir-singing has broken your brain. It's brainwashed you into nonsense. Because I assure you, this is one of Father's misguided attempts to interfere and I won't have it."

Strangely enough, all three angels had no response.

"Now, that we've established that obvious fact, once again... _leave this earthy plane_. " Lucifer pointed toward the unpaned frame of a window, behind which one could see a clear blue sky with fluffy clouds, marked with the tops of a few tall buildings.

"Oh, I don't think we are going to go anywhere, deceiver." The blond retorted.

"Deceiver? Ha?" And who convinced humanity that I was a deceiver, eh? Could it be you and the other celestial liars, intent on making me out to be the villain of all humanity? I am a punisher, not an evil-doer. I punish the guilty, the ones who have broken _your_ laws because you have convinced them of their guilt. It is your pious drivel that drives humanity to commit its sins, not I."

"Oh please, _Lucifer_. " Michael rolled his eyes. "You are the liar. Just admit it. You wanted Father's throne, you wanted to rule Heaven, rule the Silver City, make sure that Father was removed so you could do as you saw fit. You are a liar, a schemer, an evil, devious, sadistic, indulgent, treacherous, rebellious, wanton _former_ angel."

"Michael, you go too far." Gabriel said pointedly, his voice hard in attempts to shame his brother.

"No Michael, go on, tell the truth. Don't hold back." Azrael added sarcastically. "I mean, we all know our dear _Lucifer_ here -" she emphasized his name in disgust "- clearly wanted Father's throne. Why else would he rebel and try to destroy the Silver City."

Lucifer's froze for a long moment, before composing himself. He sauntered past the three, heading towards one of the concrete pillars that stood resolute and solid in the middle of the barren open space. He turned towards his siblings and rested his weight against the cold stone. Pulling out his silver cigarette case and lighter, he lit a smoke and took a long deep drag. A smile appeared on his face, almost in amusement. He took another long inhale, blowing smoke rings up into the air.

"So tell me siblings. Since I've been cast out Hell, who has occupied my throne to the left-hand of our dear Father? I'm quite curious, see. Our dear half-brother has occupied the right, so I am curious as to whom Father gave my empty throne to."

Michael bit his inner lip, trying to suppress the anger within him.

If he didn't know any better, Gabriel and Azrael's expressions each looked...mortified? Embarrassed?

Lucifer cocked his head to the side as he took another drag. "I really would like to know. I mean, sitting to the left of our Dear Father would be such a reward, yes? A gift to another of his most treasured children, am I correct?"

Michael's lip curled in anger. "No one has taken over your pathetic unworthy throne. It remains empty. Father requires it be unoccupied."

"Really?" Lucifer let the word drawl, easily hiding his surprise. "But I was sure that once I was cast into Hell, that Father would have rewarded that place to someone more...worthy. Someone like you, Michael, eh? One of his most faithful soldiers, his most righteous and devout. I'm sad to hear that." Lucifer now tsked, tilting his head in a mocking tone. "Did you not say enough prayers? Sing enough hymns? Cast out enough angels? Pester enough Humans or convert enough sinners? Oh dearie me. What a failure you are."

With that final comment, Michael let out a roar. His wings appeared, angled ahead, fully stretched out and menacing. Pulling his sword out of its sheath, he charged towards Lucifer.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's pretty obvious I know like zero Latin. Never took it in school (not available). Like Ella, when I first saw the nightclub named LUX, I thought it was a play on the word luxury. Now I know better :') But I like delving into the supernatural and origin aspects of Lucifer himself and his "past" life.
> 
> Thanks to all for reading, comments and kudos adored!


	3. Celestial Standoff

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Chloe, Dan and Ella are going to be getting more shocks in this chapter as they watch Michael face off against Lucifer.
> 
> \- The reveals just keep coming but this is not the end.

Michael lunged towards Lucifer at an almost breathless speed. But Lucifer's reaction time was excellent, and he managed to swing himself around the pillar to avoid Michael’s attack. But these were Angels, and Angels had speed and power, strength and agility.

Michael managed to whirl around back towards Lucifer, as though spinning on a dime. He viciously slashing the tip of his sword back and forth rapidly, almost blurred in its motion, then stopped to admire his handiwork. The blond had a smug look and smirk on his face.

Lucifer looked down at his chest in surprise. The front of his suit jacket was destroyed, ripped and shredded with large slashes running all along his chest. Lucifer's mouth tightened in anger. "You son of a bitch! That was one of my favourite Armani's!" He quickly unbuttoned what was left of his destroyed jacket and yanked it off, angrily whipping the ruined garment carelessly to the side. His perfectly pressed white shirt was also in tatters, and blood was soaking the entire front. "And my favourite shirt!"

"How pathetically vain. It is only a garment. Vanity is a sin, brother." Michael raised the sword tip towards Lucifer again, only a few feet away.

Azrael in turn also unsheathed her sword, but Gabriel grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the far corner of the area, far away from the two angry Angels. "This is not our fight, Azrael. Let them work out their anger and hatred for each other."

Lucifer's eyes narrowed and he ripped off the remnants of the blood-soaked white fabric, stepping away from Michael. The front of his bare chest was almost completely covered with angry slashes, crisscrossing all over his chest. There were two gashes that were the most prominent though.

He slowly ran his fingers over the two deepest and most damaging.

First the long vertical one and then the wide horizontal one.

He grimaced in annoyance, irritated that they formed an almost perfectly placed crucifix on the center of his long lean chest.

“Bloody Hell, you sick bastard.” Lucifer cursed as he moved away from Michael, wiping at his chest a few times before flicking the blood off of his hands.

Finally he stopped in his tracks about twenty feet away, turning to face the blond in defiance. He had room now. His lips slowly curled into a demented grin. "You want a bloody fight brother? _I'll give you a bloody fight_."

With that, a pair of massive snow white wings powerfully emerged from Lucifer's naked back.

............................

"What the hell are they talking about? Thrones? What, like king and queen thrones? Does anyone else think this is really weird?" Dan's brow was frowning.

"What does she mean, Angel of Death? Who calls themselves that? Who the hell are these people?" Chloe was shaking her head, turning her attention away from the screen. First Lucifer claimed to be the Devil, now his 'sister' was claiming to be the Angel of Death. What kind of twisted family did Lucifer grow up in? No wonder he was so strange.

Ella suddenly started hyperventilating. "Oh my god! Oh my god! _Oh my god. Look!_ " She kept repeating it over and over, her voice squeaking high. She was flapping her hands in distress, trying to calm herself over what was unfolding on screen.

Dan just stared at the screen, his mouth dropping open, unable to move, unable to comprehend.

Chloe's hand slapped over her mouth, muffling a tiny scream.

On the screen, out of nowhere, Michael suddenly had wings stretching out from his back. They were large and imposing, a gradation of colours running through them. The top edge of the wings was striped dark grey, running from shoulder to wingtip. The colours grew lighter and lighter grey downwards, towards the sharp primaries nearly touching the ground. The last 4 inches of primaries were bright white, looking like the tip of a spear.

"He. Has. Wings." Ella muttered, pointing at the screen. " _Wings_. Oh my god. Angels...angels exist." She sounded in awe, and grasped the gold cross necklace around her neck.

Dan looked pale and unresponsive, almost in a daze. He was slightly rocking back and forth in his seat, as though in a trance.

Chloe gripped the table, her voice determined. “Lucifer, just don’t do anything stupid. We’re going to help you.” She realized that her brain wasn’t quite processing the fact that the blond had actual feathery wings emerging from his back. Her mind wouldn’t let her. Instead, her stubborn rational – _irrational?_ \- mind was trying to convince herself that the curly-haired blond wasn’t an _actual_ angel – _they didn’t exist, of course_ \- and for some reason they were role-playing at being winged things and were harassing her partner in the meantime.

But the back of her mind screamed otherwise.

Dan was still frozen.

Ella was still freaking.

Chloe took a deep breath.

_Then shrieked._

She gasped as Michael suddenly lunged for Lucifer with his sword, the movements so fast, to her eyes it looked blurred in its motion.

_How could someone move that fast?_

Chloe pushed herself into cop mode, her mind again trying to clear as much as the revelation that on the floor above them, a man has a giant pair of wings emerging from his back. She didn't even want a single brain cell to start to contemplate the fact that angels might actually exist. Now wasn't the time. She had to stay focused.

"Oh god, Lucifer, please hold on. We're going to help you." She whispered to a non-responsive room.

She had to help Lucifer.

She pulled her gun from her holster to check if there was enough ammunition. She was going to save her partner, no matter what.

"Chloe, wait." Dan had managed to come out of his reverie to put his hand on her arm to stop her, pointing to the screen instead.

Lucifer was grousing about his suit jacket, tossing it aside. He then easily ripped off his blood-soaked dress shirt. The damage to his chest looked incredibly painful but Lucifer didn't seem bothered. Two large deep gashes intersected his chest in the shape of a cross. The rest of his skin was almost completely covered with smaller slashes crisscrossing all over. Blood was flowing down his chest in slow rivulets, soaking his entire front.

The trio watched as Lucifer traced the two deepest slashes, looking as though he was slowly making the sign of the cross on his own chest. Blood dripped off of his fingers as he did.

Chloe tried to rise, but Dan’s firm arm stopped her. “Chloe...”

She was adamant. "Dan, I need to help him."

Chloe took one last look at the screen, and time suddenly seemed to slow to a crawl. Her eyes and brain felt like it was processing everything in ultra-slow motion.

From Lucifer's back, a pair of massively huge white wings slowly unfurled. They stretched out to their full length, 14 feet on either side of him. They were perfection, pure white brilliance, with an almost undetectable ethereal glow illuminating them from within.

She felt like she had stopped breathing.

In shock, she watched as Lucifer carefully flexed his chest and back muscles, making his wings seemed to grow even longer and wider, the pristine feathers spreading open and wide, as though on alert. She could see the primaries slowly lengthen, the barbs shifting to becoming taut and deadly like a weapon.

His wings slowly angled forward, as though ready to charge, the tips stretching out and curling straight ahead.

Lucifer was about to attack.

She felt a hand shake her arm and came out of her own reverie. She flinched and time resumed.

"Chloe? _Chloe!_ "

She slowly lowered herself back into her chair, her body trembling, Ella and Dan on either side of her.

Two tall imposing powerful Angels were currently standing twenty feet from each other. Neither was moving, waiting for the right time to attack. Both had their wings outstretched; deadly and ready to strike. It was as though she was watching an Old West standoff celestial-style.

" _Chloe_." Dan repeated, his voice barely above a whisper. He somehow at the moment managed to be the most calm of the group. "You can't help him. None of us can."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- My apologies to poor Lucifer and the whump I'm putting him through, but I had to get him shirtless somehow, cause reasons!
> 
> \- Also, I know it's a short chapter, but I want the story broken up in a specific way.
> 
> \- Thank you all for the comments kudos. Makes this even more fun.


	4. A Fury of Wings and Limbs

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Lucifer and Michael finally battle it out, in all of their celestial (and angry) glory.

Lucifer and Michael stood unmoving, now standing thirty feet from each other, wings fully outstretched and ready for battle.

"So brother, you've come here to help me, yet all you seem to want to do is give me a good thrashing."

The curly-haired blond smirked. "Maybe a good thrashing is what you require. Maybe a good beating would have turned you away from your wicked ways in the first place." He raised his sword again towards Lucifer.

Lucifer huffed a laugh. "Ah, poor Michael. It appears that you are such a weak and pathetic Angel that you actually require a weapon to defeat me. How sad. But I know that _you know_ that you can't best me otherwise. You will never be my equal." Lucifer flashed him a smug smile.

Michael's nose flared as he looked at the sword, back at Lucifer, then back at the sword. "Please. You are nothing compared to me. I don't need this to give you the beating you deserve." He casually tossed the sword away from him, the metal clattering towards Gabriel and Azrael, who had moved to the far corner of the open area, away from the inevitable carnage.

Lucifer now flashed Michael his trademark cocky smile, his eyebrows slightly quirking up. "Are you ready, little brother?"

" _Am. I. Ever._ "

With that, the two angels rushed towards each other, until there was nothing but a tangled ball of limbs and feathers. Both Angels were not holding back, the anger and resentment within each had come to the surface in full force.

Minutes passed before the tangle of feathers broke, and Lucifer was thrown hard against the far wall, landing almost ten feet up, and dropping down like a stone. The drywall behind him cracked into small pieces, the support beam in the wall caved in at a 45 degree angle. Lucifer immediately rose, clutching his chest, laughing as he did.

"Is that all you got?"

Michael came for him again, this time using his wings to propel him exponentially fast towards Lucifer. Lucifer was prepared, and managed to grab Michael by the arm and swing him into the wall. The drywall collapsed into dust and debris, the wall beams snapping completely upon impact.

Michael fell out of the debris and shook his head. A small stream of blood was trickling down his forehead.

The angels again lunged for each other, this time both getting their hands around each other’s necks. Are they struggled; each one was flapping their wings violently in an attempt to gain leverage, while also trying to free themselves from the others’ powerful strangling grasp.

Michael managed to gain the advantage once again, using his wings and arms to shove Lucifer violently away from him. “You are a disgrace, an abomination.” he declared smugly. “I _will_ destroy you!”

Before Lucifer could retort, the blond quickly snatched up a two-by-four that was lying nearby, and used like a battering ram, bashing the end into the center of Lucifer’s chest, forcing him back towards the wall with each subsequent hit.

Lucifer’s back hit the wall, and Michael raised the wooden board for one more hit. Before he could contact, Lucifer raised his arms and yanked the board away. In a quick move, he rammed Michael in the stomach with the board, causing the blond to stumble back a few steps. Lucifer then used the board to smash Michael hard against the head.

Grinning, Lucifer flung the board away from him, grinning at the carnage. “Are you finished, brother?”

Michael stumbled back one more step, but before he could completely lose his balance, he managed to arc his left wing forward, and slashed at Lucifer’s own, causing Lucifer to yelp in pain and drop the board to the floor. A few snow white feathers fluttered to the ground, and blood started seeped around the wing joint, soaking the remaining ragged feathers. Michael took this moment to smash Lucifer in the face with his fist, over and over again.

"Is that all you've got?" He mimicked Lucifer's line in a high pitched mocking tone.

Lucifer starting slumping down the wall, but before Michael knew it, Lucifer's wings started flapping powerfully as he grabbed Michael by the waist and launched both of them into the air. The office building ceiling had not been completed, only the structure was present. Lucifer flew up, smashing his brother into one of the thick reinforced iron I-beams that lined the ceiling.

Lucifer hovered in the air for a moment, as Michael crashed down more than 30 feet to the floor.

A second later, Lucifer carefully landed next to his sprawled out brother. "I'm getting most tired of this. Time to declare defeat, brother."

Michael didn't answer, though his expression was incensed. Instead, he grabbed Lucifer by the leg and yanked, making Lucifer fall and slam his head against the floor. Michael's right wing now took a swing at the Devil, the primaries slicing deeply along the entirety of Lucifer's left thigh.

Lucifer anticipated the next slash and rolled away, scrambling to get onto his feet. He was breathing heavily. He could feel the blood flowing copiously down his leg, soaking into his shoes.

"Bloody Hell! Now my suit is completely ruined!" Without hesitation, Lucifer lunged for Michael again, bodily picking him up and throwing him with all of his might, hard against one of the thick stone pillars that stood in the open space. Michael's back slammed vertically straight into the pillar, the force of the impact causing his left wing to snap back. The sound of bone breaking echoed in the room.

A large support beam above slightly buckled, but the concrete pillar managed to keep it from collapsing.

The stone column itself cracked; where Michael impacted it was mostly broken and shattered. The thick center support was considerably bent, and the concrete covering the steel was broken away in large chunks.

Before Michael could completely slump to the floor, the tip of Lucifer’s wing shot out, the snowy white primaries slicing along Michael’s right side. Blood started seeping from the wound around his waist, soaking the pristine fabric of his robe.

Lucifer did not hesitate for a moment. He grabbed Michael by the throat, and threw him bodily against the nearest wall. A millisecond later, Lucifer was next to Michael. Grabbing his brother’s neck again, Lucifer slammed his head hard against the wall.

"Is _this_ what you wanted, dear brother?"

Michael’s mouth was bloody. He was breathing heavily. More blood trickled down from his temple. His left wing sagged unnaturally to the floor, while the right wing hung limp. His pristine white robe was heavily soaked in blood around the waist.

Gabriel now rushed over, forcefully putting his arm between Michael and Lucifer. "That is it! Enough! You have each proven yourself. This will end! _Now!_ " His tone was commanding and final, a direct contrast to his light effable demeanour from before.

Lucifer and Michael didn't move an inch.

"Lucifer, do as I say!" Gabriel angrily demanded.

Michael was panting heavily as he croaked out, "I was only following Father's orders."

Lucifer's grip tightened. "Following Father's orders? Really? Did Father demand you bind me in chains, parade me through the Silver City, break my wings and kick me over the edge without remorse?"

Michael had the grace to look regretful.

Lucifer continued. "Do you know what happens when an Angel falls with broken wings? As they tumble through the planes of existence without their wings to protect them? Without wings to slow the descent or protect from the elements?

You burn. And _you burn_. The pain is excruciating. The agony utterly unbearable. Then you cross one plane and start to heal. Your body begins to mend. Then you cross another threshold and start to burn again. Over and over and _over_ again." Lucifer released his grip on Michael's throat, grabbing the blonds’ chin instead to hold Michael's head firm so he would be forced to look into Lucifer's eyes.

"Do you know what it looks like when an Angel burns? Do you know what it looks like after an Angel falls? _This_ is what happens!" With that, Lucifer's skin and hair melted away, leaving behind a red, scarred, scorched looking creature, muscle and sinew wet and visible, eyes burning vibrant red with malevolent Hell Fire.

Azrael gasped loudly, while Gabriel eyes filled with tears.

Michael was desperately trying to avert his eyes from Lucifer, but Lucifer wouldn't allow him.

"Like what you see, brother?” Michael tried to pull his gaze away, but Lucifer only tightened his grip. “ _Do you like what you see?_ This is what you did to me. _This_ was Father's punishment. I didn't ask for Father's kingdom, nor did I ever want it. All I asked for was free will. To make my choice, to be my own Angel. To make my own decisions. To be my _own ma_ n. Now tell me _dear brother_ , is asking and fighting for free will really deserving of _this_?"

With that final comment, Lucifer's visage morphed back to his familiar face. He released the blond in disgust, turning away from his so-called family.

........................

The silence in the room was palpable. Ella, Dan and Chloe were just staring at the screen, eyes wide, unmoving, in shock, in utter silence.

They had just watched the fight of a lifetime unfold between two winged angels. By all rights, both men should probably be unconscious or even dead. The amount of battering each man - _no Angel_ \- took was incomprehensible.

No one said a word, watching inhuman acts – _unbelievable acts_ \- taking place on the screen. No human had the power to throw someone so hard that the impact could _bend_ and _break_ the _thick steel beams_ in the walls. To throw someone so hard that the concrete on a pillar shattered, and a massive iron beam actually bent significantly.

_This was unreal._

No physical body could survive being thrown that hard against a thick metal beam.

Hell. No man should have wings. Wings shouldn’t even exist.

The three were having a hard time comprehending what had just unfolded on the floor above them.

Ella was the first to voice it. "How on earth can anyone survive that? I mean, his spine should be broken….it should be…” she trailed off, not sure what to say. Or think.

"Because they’re not from earth." Chloe surprised herself with her calm, whispered reply.

Then Lucifer spoke in tones and words so chilling and resentful, Chloe inadvertently shuddered. He spoke about how he was bound and chained, made a spectacle, wings broken - _my god!_ \- and thrown out of heaven only to agonizingly burn.

Chloe covered her mouth with her hands, the horror of what her partner much have gone through making her feel physically sick. A quick glance at Dan found that he probably felt the same. He was quite pale and clammy looking. A look to Ella showed the normally bubbly forensic tech with tears falling down her face. She was once again clutching the gold cross around her neck.

Then it happened.

The three had thought they had seen it all. Angels. Wings. Unbelievable feats of strength. Unsurvivable feats of strength.

But it wasn't over.

_Lucifer changed._

The skin on his face and body faded away, replaced by a layer of red, burned and melted muscle and sinew.

All three leapt back in their chairs, as though the monster currently holding the chin of the blond immobile would turn and jump out of the screen to attack them.

It was several long moments before one of them finally spoke.

"My god. _Lucifer_." It was Chloe. Her voice was weak, cracking in emotion. Her hands were again held over her mouth, clearly horrified at what had unfolded on screen.

It was Dan's turn to speak, albeit in a bare whisper. "He was telling the truth. All along. He really is the Devil."

Ella sounded in disbelief, her voice weak. "How could anyone survive that? Those are fourth, fifth and...and _sixth_ degree burns. No one could survive that."

"An Angel could." Chloe whispered, feeling still in a state of shock but starting to calm. After shock upon shock, revelation and revelation, she didn't know how much more her brain could comprehend. On the surface, the truth was finally out.

Completely revealed.

She belatedly realized that this was what Lucifer had wanted to tell her over and over again, but he never had the guts, or never had the chance.

She couldn’t blame him. He must of thought of what her reaction would be upon seeing him all red burned and hideous. No wonder he was hesitant.

Her brain wasn't allowing her to delve deeper into what it all meant. Her cop-mode was again shifting back into play, to remain objective and removed, logical, not emotional. She’d seen disturbing and stomach-churning crime scenes many times in her job. She had learned to maintain a level of detachment, to see from the outside and not allow the horrors of the scene cloud her judgment.

She tried to do the same with the current revelations about Lucifer.

Ella and Dan weren't faring as well.

Ella was staring off into space, muttering prayer after prayer under her breath. Chloe knew how religious Ella was and understood completely. Dan, on the other hand, was still repeating, "It's real. It's all real. He's the Devil. It's real."

.....................

Lucifer stood tall and confident in front of his siblings, trying to hide the shaking of his pain-wracked and bloodied body. Azrael took Michael gently by the arm and carefully led him towards the pane-less window frames of the office building, broken wing dragging behind him. With a whoosh and without a word, they disappeared.

Gabriel moved to stand tall in front of Lucifer, a sad yet empathetic smile on his face. "I understand your pain brother, your hatred. I do. Not even the First Fallen himself deserved this, though history may say otherwise. I know you don't believe me, but there was really nothing we could do. Father's decree. But Michael's actions..." he trailed off, tears again gathering in his eyes.

"Michael is prideful and stubborn." Lucifer managed to croak, though he wasn't sure that speaking even one word wouldn’t cause him to collapse onto the floor from his suspected broken ribs.

Gabriel chuckled but without any humour. "Yes he is, quite like another big brother of mine. But you were always the strongest one with the most conviction, Lucifer. But Father forbade us, and as you know - and rebelled against - we were designed to just be servants of Father. We did as he saw fit."

Lucifer merely nodded.

Gabriel's wings appeared, mostly eggshell white in colour with the top of the wings edged in black. He curved his wings forward and closely in, plucking out several feathers from either side.

"Here. I think you may need these. For now, and for any other mischief you may get into with these humans."

Lucifer inadvertently chuckled, which led him to lightly clutch his ribs. Gabriel smiled sadly. From his robe, he pulled out the scroll in its soft leather packet and carefully slid the feathers in before handing it to Lucifer.

"Please study the scroll brother. It is imperative." The red-head placed the packet on the floor next to Lucifer, before carefully backing away, towards the open windows. He raised his hand. "Be well brother. We will be visiting you again." With that, his wings stretched out and with a whoosh, like the others, he was gone.

Lucifer stood staring across the room, through the broken windows, out into the open sky for long minutes.

_What did this mean? Why were his siblings helping him? Why did they claim Father was helping. If He was helping, why this case? Why now?_

He didn’t even want to dwell a second on the fact that some of his siblings may have actually felt _sorry_ for him.

Not anytime soon.

 _Or ever_.

_Bloody hell._

He shifted a bit, his tall body suddenly wracked in shooting pain. Lucifer flinched, his wings shuddering in unison. The feathers around his right wing joint were stained bright red but were only slightly shaking.

Oh, he was going to feel _this one_ for a while.

He needed to get to his penthouse, use Gabriel's feathers, lie down and just rest and heal.

Goddammit, he desperately needed a drink.

_Or twenty._

He also had to think.

He grimaced as he turned slowly towards the exit door, taking a few limping steps before his legs gave out and he collapsed to the knees.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Lots of whump - sorry Angel/Devil boys.  
> \- Finally Chloe, Dan and Ella know everything - well, almost know everything. Let's see how they respond.
> 
> Everyone has given such lovely comments and kudos. Much thanks!


	5. The Truth Now Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Sorry for the delay - busy with things and haven't had a chance to write.  
> \- This is a short chapter but I wanted to get it up ASAP.

_Bloody hell..._

Lucifer was on his hands and knees. His wings flared out behind him but flopped down on either side of his back, as though his tired and battered body couldn't support the weight of them. His right wing was still bleeding but luckily it was mostly superficial. He dropped forward, resting his upper body weight on his palms. He was exhausted, aching, emotionally wrought and physically broken.

 _I just need to rest a little_ , he told himself. His wings seemed to agree, because they relaxed their stretched out pose, drooping further along the floor. He allowed his head to drop between his arms, as though his neck couldn't support the weight.

Holy _hell_ he hurt.

His chest was completely covered in slashes, blood still trickling out from the wounds. The bloody crucifix deeply gashed into the middle of his chest pained him but it was the shape of the slash itself that infuriated him . His left leg throbbed from where Michael’s wing had slashed him. It was yet another deep gash and the blood was flowing more freely here; most of his pant leg and the inside of his shoe was soaked. He felt like he had cracked almost all of his ribs, and was pretty sure many were broken. His head was pounding. He was having a hard time breathing, pain wracking his chest with every shallow breath.

He reluctantly realized he'd have to remember to thank Gabriel for the feathers. He knew he would heal, but the feathers would make him recover exponentially faster.

_Damn you Gabriel, coming here with that lot…._

Still on his hands and knees, Lucifer inhaled slowly, carefully taking in another laboured breath.

He'd had to think up some excuse to tell the Detective as to why he'd be out of commission for a while.

The Detective.

_The Detective._

Oh no....

_Bloody no...._

The realization hit him like a ton of bricks.

They knew.

_They all knew….._

They now knew everything. The entire encounter had been watched and recorded by the LAPD. They had video evidence they could watch over and over. In his anger and rage over his Angel siblings and their inconvenient visit - and his typical single-mindedness - he completely forgot that he was being watched and recorded.

_Bloody Hell!_

In the span of one heated encounter with his siblings, Chloe, Dan and Ella now knew that Angels were real. That Heaven and Hell existed. That he used to be called Samael. That he himself was a fallen angel. _The_ Fallen Angel. _The One and Only_. That he truly was the Devil - _Satan Incarnate_. That he had great white wings, flaming eyes and a red burned and scorched body.

That everything he had ever told Chloe was absolutely true.

_Dammit._

_FATHER DAMN YOU!_

_........................._

Chloe turned her attention back to the screen, while Ella and Dan were still in the middle of digesting and understanding the complete truth about Lucifer.

She watched as Gabriel plucked several feathers from his beautiful wings and handed them to Lucifer. He said his goodbyes and vanished in an instant, just as he had appeared.

On the screen, she saw Lucifer grimace in pain. He turned carefully, clutching his ribs as he did. Limping slowly towards the exit door, he only made it a few steps before collapsing to his knees.

Chloe's heart broke. Her partner was in pain. Intense agonizing pain. He had hid it well from his siblings, but she had never seen him so battered and broken before.

This was her partner. _Her Lucifer_. The one who could easily throw criminals through glass walls as though tossing away some trash. Who could lift 250 pound men high as though he was raising his glass in a toast.

The man – no, not man, but Angel… Devil – was someone whom she had a special bond with, someone she cared for immensely.

Her eyes went back to the screen and she watched as Lucifer dropped down in his exhaustion, bearing his weight on his hands while his head hung down between his arms. His wings splayed out, mimicking his exhausted form. Her normally confident, full-of-life, energetic, indestructible partner was _hurting_.

Chloe was immediately struck by the image. He looked exactly like painted images of mythical fallen angels – or Fallen Devils - she had seen on the internet. And why wouldn't he? They were essentially painting _him_. Painting Lucifer. The Real Lucifer. _Her Lucifer._ The One and Only Fallen Angel. Depicting the Devil who was currently collapsed on the floor above them, broken, exhausted and in severe pain.

The realizations she could focus on later. The truth, the meaning of it all. The many revelations that had unfolded. She wasn't going to focus on that now. Now was not the time. Her partner needed her.

She had to go to him.

She had to help him.

She cleared her throat loudly, finally drawing the attention of a still stunned Dan and Ella.

"Guys. I'm going to go get Lucifer."

……………………………………………

 _Just a few more minutes of rest._ He actually hoped that the Detective, in her obvious expected fright at his true nature, had most likely left the building.

He highly doubted Dan, Chloe or Ella were still around. They all now knew.

Everything. What Lucifer was. His true self. His true nature. That Heaven and Hell existed. That God was real. That Lucifer was _different_.

That he was telling the truth and had been telling the truth all along.

Lucifer shifted a bit, wincing as he did.

Damn, Michael did a number on him. But he knew Michael got the worst of it. Lucifer knew he was the stronger one, and his rage added to his strength during attack.

He managed enough energy to raise himself so he could rest back on his haunches. His head fell back and he closed his eyes, just for a respite. His back slumped and his wings were splayed out on either side of him, a feathery mess partially flopped along the floor on either side of his body. He couldn't even muster the energy to vanish them, not that there was any reason anymore. His entire body was exhausted and he could barely move a limb.

_Any limb._

Then he sensed it.

_Son of a bitch._

"I would appreciate it, if you didn't stare at me like I was a bloody zoo animal." His voice was a bit hoarse and exhausted but not angry. He didn't move or say anything for a few more moments, his eyes still closed.

The room remained in silence. After a few more moments, Lucifer finally found the energy to lift his head and opened his eyes. His wings pulled in as he did, folding very loosely behind his back.

Chloe, Dan and Ella were standing in the room, about ten feet in front of him. Chloe and Dan just stared wide-eyed at Lucifer, while Ella was fidgeting nervously. All looked wary but concerned. Lucifer could sense the hint of fear in each of them, a hesitation in their demeanour.

To be expected.

Finally, Ella just blurted out, "You're an Angel! The Devil! I don't know! I mean, you told us you were the Devil, but I thought you were just a method actor but you're so nice and funny and fun and you're helping the LAPD get the bad guys and I think you're awesome, and you're a great hugger and I, I..." Ella was rambling in a high-pitched tone. She wasn't sure what to think, to say. Without realizing it, she once again grasped the gold-cross necklace hanging around her neck.

Now it was Dan's turn to speak up. "Lucifer. You’re the _real_ Lucifer." He sighed, clearly conflicted. "I really don't know what to think. I mean, you have wings, man. You really are a…you’re the...you know." He ran his hands through his hair in uncertainty. "You've been a pain in the ass but." He didn't seem sure what to say. "I don't know...I need to think." He backed away from Lucifer but remained facing him. "I need to think."

Lucifer's dark eyes moved to Chloe and immediately he felt his heart clutch. She moved forward quickly, kneeling in front of him without fear, her eyes instead filled with tears and her expression of intense concern. "That was really the Archangel Michael, Gabriel and Azrael? The actual Archangels from Heaven?"

"Yes." He looked past her for a moment, to the others, before meeting her eyes again. "I thought for sure they would run. That you would run. After seeing my true nature. Well, natures."

"Give us some time. It’s a lot to take in." she whispered, placing her hand on his arm. "Lucifer, I was so worried. Are you okay?"

Lucifer let out a wan smile, his heart clenching over the tears in her eyes and her gentle touch on her arm. "I'm fine. Just a little bruised and battered. Nothing a bit of rest and a lot of whiskey can't fix. And feathers."

Chloe looked at the floor next to Lucifer. The scroll that Gabriel had given Lucifer was there in its leather sheath, with a thick bunch of eggshell white feathers stuffed in the middle.

Chloe rubbed her hand slowly up and down his arm in reassurance. "Dan, Ella. We need to get Lucifer out of here, back to his penthouse."

"Chloe...." Dan was understandably hesitant.

Chloe was back into cop-mode, focused on the task at hand. She decided not to focus on the reality of the situation, on what Lucifer was, is, and what had just conspired and all of those implications. In front of her was her very battered partner, and he needed her help.

 _The Satan_ – Chloe couldn’t quite wrap her head around the name applying to her battered partner – was half collapsed on the floor, in obvious pain.

Her mind was made up. She could be scared later, when her brain finally processed the full implications of everything they had learned.

She was going to help her friend, her partner, her close companion for the last three years.

"I know what you're thinking, Dan. But Lucifer is our friend, and my partner, and we need to help. We'll deal with the rest later."

And they would.

The questions would come later.

There would be a lot of questions.

And she would make sure he answered every single one to her complete satisfaction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- ~~One more chapter left~~ , with lots of questions answered.  
> \- Thanks everyone for your patience, comments and kudos.
> 
>  ****Update**** Scratch that. Looks like it won't be one chapter left. As I'm writing it, it's expanding....and expanding... and expanding. So no, most likely two more or however it breaks nicely for flow. Whatcha gonna do? :')


	6. Penthouse Interrogation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- This is a longer chapter, with lots of questions and answers.  
> \- I tried to think of what questions the gang would have and the type of answers Lucifer would give, though honestly you'd never be able to cover everything. Just too much stuff!  
> \- Hopefully Lucifer's answers aren't too crazy! :')
> 
> Enjoy!

Back in the penthouse, as Chloe, Dan and Ella were watching in awe, Lucifer took two of the feathers that Gabriel had provided and 'healed' himself. They watched, openmouthed and slack jawed, as Lucifer took one of the larger feathers and placed it on his bare but slashed chest. A bright light slowly emanated, growing brighter and brighter, but staying focused on his center. Then the light seemed to go _into_ Lucifer. The trio could see the slashes slowly disappearing, and Lucifer himself was straightening up as his cracked and broken bones knitted back together.

He took another smaller feather and placed it on his leg. The deep slash oozing blood sealed up, to the gaping reactions of the three.

Chloe had insisted that Lucifer take a shower. He was healed but was covered in copious amount of fresh and drying blood, drywall and concrete dust.

While he was cleaning up, Chloe called Maze, Amenadiel and Linda. All three needed to know what had happened. To be here with Lucifer, to help him deal.

She now understood his contentious relationship with Amenadiel, and his family in general. She now knew exactly why he harboured such hatred at his father and siblings. She marveled at how strong Lucifer truly was. Almost anybody else would have been permanently broken. Damaged.

Lucifer was. But it could have been worse.

Maze was on a bounty and said she would be there as soon as she could. Linda told Chloe she would pick up Amenadiel and head right over.

If anything, Chloe thought, Lucifer would definitely need his therapist.

After his shower, Lucifer reappeared, dressed in his typical dress shirt and slacks, this time in all black. Unlike his usual immaculate appearance, he had left his shirt untucked and the top two buttons were undone. His hair was unstyled; stray curls went in every which direction, giving Lucifer a more youthful look.

Chloe couldn't help but think that he wanted to ensure he appeared casual and mellow – more human - and that his injuries made him want to be comfortable, but at the same time…the dark clothes…

Chloe also inadvertently smiled at the messy curls. They were just like his Angelic brothers. Her mind wandered off, wondering if Lucifer ever wore his hair long in the past, or did he always look like this. She caught herself imaging what he would look like wearing the Angelic robes that his siblings wore, curly hair long and flowing, wings outstretched in all their glory.

She couldn’t reconcile it with the man now moving towards the bar.

She turned her attention to the real deal. Though healed from the feathers, Lucifer was still moving gingerly. He went to his bar and poured himself a triple measure of whiskey. Grabbing the bottle, he joined the others in his living area. Chloe noted he took care to approach slowly, taking the lone chair, away from the others seated on the orange designer couch.

Chloe wondered if Lucifer was worried about scaring them or if he was still stiff and in pain? She figured it was both, even though Gabriel’s feathers seemed to have worked their magic.

………………………

He felt better. Much much better. Though he could have healed himself with Gabriel’s feathers at the office construction site, Chloe insisted that they get him home first, before anyone else wandered into the space. It was nonsensical, but Lucifer enjoyed having Chloe fuss over him.

Chloe directed Ella to grab the laptop and all recordings of the entire encounter with Lucifer and his siblings. The last thing she wanted was any evidence lying around. She made a quick call to Pierce, asking him to send some cops to pack up the rest. She didn’t explain why, but just said that Lucifer needed help. Surprisingly, Pierce didn’t ask her to clarify.

The only complication?

His wings. He couldn’t fit through the exit door.

Chloe made a movement to help fold Lucifer’s wings in, but the stern look on Lucifer’s face stopped her immediately. Her face flamed red with embarrassment as she snapped her hand away.

He frowned at her in apology but he wasn’t ready yet for her to touch his wings.

Not here. Not yet.

“Lucifer, you need to…” she pointed at the back, then at the narrow door. He nodded. It took him a few minutes to gather the energy to pull in his wings, and another minute to vanish them completely. Dan’s mouth dropped open when he did, but he didn’t say anything.

The walk down to the ground floor was excruciating, every step jarring his broken ribs and stretching the skin on his slashed leg. Chloe and Dan were on either side of him, carefully holding each arm, ensuring he didn’t trip or pass out and tumble down the steps.

He couldn’t help wonder what they were thinking the entire slow decent to street level. Here they were physically helping an Angel/Devil, mere humans aiding a battered up celestial being.

There would be many questions.

And he promised himself he would answer them all.

He owned them that.

………………………

Lucifer slowly approached the trio sitting side-by-side on his orange leather couch. All three were clutching drinks in their hands, as though steeling themselves for Lucifer’s appearance. He set his whiskey bottle down on the table, noticing a half-empty bottle of vodka, and an almost empty bottle of wine already on the table. He allowed himself a small smirk before settling down in the lone chair separate from the couch, to ensure he provided space from the others in an attempt to be nonthreatening.

Lucifer was impressed though. He has hesitated for so long revealing to truth to the Detective, in complete fear that she would bolt and he would never see her again. He was pleasantly surprised – and proud - that Chloe stuck around, helping him home. That his true self, and all of the revelations that came with it did not scare her off.

He did feel a little bit selfish and guilty. He could have insisted on healing himself in the unfinished office space, but curiosity got the better of him. He wanted the feeling of Chloe fussing over him whilst helping him get safely home. He was intrigued to see what the other people he dealt with closely in his life would do to aid the Devil.

Ella and Dan were the surprise. A warm feeling ran through his chest, thinking at how his very religious LAPD colleague’s – _friends? Could he call them that?_ – hadn’t run screaming from the room, crossing themselves, throwing Holy Water and repeating Hail Mary’s and Our Father’s in penance for daring to interact with the Devil.

But they knew now.

The full truth.

And while slightly freaking out, they still helped Chloe aid Lucifer in standing up from the floor, and walking him carefully to the car, ten floors below.

They hadn’t asked how Lucifer made his wings vanish when, in his exhaustion, he couldn’t fold them enough to fit through the door. They didn’t inquire about how he was able to survive being lobbed around into hard walls and steel beams and be considerably okay. If broken ribs, massive bruising and bloody deep gashes could be considered okay.

They didn’t ask how three Angels appeared out of nowhere, disappearing again into nothing.

They didn’t ask about the Great White Wings that emerged from his back.

They just helped.

But Lucifer could tell the questions were bubbling on their lips, almost to the point of overwhelming them.

He took a long pull from his drink, draining half of the glass, as he eyed them warily. Ella was nervously playing with her hands, while Dan’s foot was bouncing anxiously. Chloe looked calm, but seemed off in space, as though replaying the events of the past couple hours, trying to make sense of it all.

It was time to come clean for the lot of them. He cleared his throat. "I assume you have questions." Unlike his usual relaxed and smiling persona, Lucifer was stolid and reserved. The expression on his face was serious, reminding Chloe of a University Professor intent on delivering an important lecture. The fun-loving, charming and sexually playful man was hidden from view. Chloe has never seen Lucifer look so serious and – well, adult-like – before.

"Can you vanish or appear out of nowhere like they did?" Dan was the first one to lob a question at the Devil.

"Yes and no. I can’t – sorry, Angels can’t – just teleport from one location to another. We can either manipulate time or move very fast or fly though different planes of existence. But no, I can’t teleport myself to San Francisco in one millisecond, if that’s what you mean."

"Is that why you needed help to get to Lux?"

Lucifer grimaced a bit at the Devil requiring help from Chloe and the others. It was a bit embarassing. But he promised them he would answer all of their questions and he never reneged on a deal. "Yes. Honestly. I didn't have the energy. And my ribs were broken in several places. Moving that fast could have caused more damage than it was worth. I also can’t slow time. That’s Amenadiels’ speciality."

Mouths dropped. “Amenadiel can slow time?” Chloe asked in awe.

“Yes.”

Chloe was tapping her fingers on her knee, again staring off into space. “That explains some stuff….” She trailed off.

"So God exists." It was Ella’s turn.

"He does."

"What's he like?" she asked, almost breathless.

"He's a dick."

Ella frowned.

It was Chloe turn. "You have infinite healing powers. Why couldn't you eventually heal your burns? They look so…"

“Hideous? Monstrous? Painful?” He looked at her, a hint of sadness in his eyes. A voice deep down berated him that she would never accept him now, not with how he truly looked. Still, he answered her question. "They were too extensive. Also, they are not typical burns one would get from heat and flame. They are celestial burns from falling through the various planes and dimensions of existence without protection. They cannot be easily healed, if at all. At some point, they became part of me. Part of being the Devil." He took another long drink, draining his glass. “Besides, can’t have the Prince of Hell looking all sweet and angelic and perfect, now can we?” His attempt at a joke backfired.

“So the way you look now? It’s fake?” Chloe persisted.

“Yes and no. This is how I appeared before I Fell. This is what I originally looked like. It is a state of existence for me, I guess. A duality of my nature.”

“When you were Samael?”

Lucifer flinched. They knew that name now too.

Chloe swallowed heavily, looking regretful at the question. “I’m sorry Lucifer. I just…I just want to understand.”

Lucifer just nodded, though his lips were pursed in a hint of regret and anger. He refilled his glass almost to the rim and took a long pull from his drink.

"I can't believe I've been insulting the Devil time and time again." Dan exclaimed, realization hitting him.

"Yes well, you _are_ going to Hell for that." Lucifer replied, with a quirk of his eyebrow.

Dan froze. It took him a moment to realize that this was Lucifer's way of joking. "You're such a dick."

"And you’re still a douche."

"Touche." It seemed Dan was starting to get comfortable with the situation and all of the knowledge thrown at him in the last couple of hours.

“Are we?” Ella now asked, worry in her face. “Are we going to Hell because we helped you? Because we are your friends? I mean, wouldn’t God be upset knowing that we are your friends and we like you and that we hang out and everything?” She looked truly concerned, and refilled her glass with more vodka.

Lucifer felt a strange warmth in his chest that had nothing to do with Gabriel’s feathers or his recent healing.  “No. That is not how Hell works. My father doesn’t decide who goes to hell, and nor do I. It is humans themselves that decide.”

The trio looked surprised. “We…decide?” Dan asked, the confusion clear on his face.

“Yes. You humans are the ones that choose. Those who have intense guilt condemn yourselves to Hell. I am just the Head Warden who makes sure it runs smoothly and that punishments fit the crimes. I am more of an overseer. I don’t push humans to commit crimes or perform evil acts. Your free will and the choices you make is what condemns you.” Lucifer finished his drink and re-poured the glass to almost overflowing. “I will point out though, there have been a few guilt-free individuals who have committed atrocious crimes that my Demons or I will have made sure are properly punished. It is a much more complicated system than I have described, but it’s the best way I can explain it.”

“Demons? Did you say your demons?” Dan asked, then paled considerably. “Maze is a demon, isn’t she?”

Lucifer nodded. “Yes. She was and is my right-hand demon. In Hell, Mazikeen was my second in command.”

Chloe rested her hand on her forehead, almost in disbelief. “Trixie and I’ve been living with a demon…”

“A demon whom would do anything to protect your child.” Lucifer answered candidly.

Chloe looked thoughtful for a second. “She would, wouldn’t she? It does answer a lot of questions about Maze.”

Before Lucifer could answer, Dan broke in. "Does anyone else know? That you really are the Devil and have wings" Dan now asked.

"Linda."

"Linda! Seriously?"

"Yes. During one of our sessions. I...I revealed my Devil face to her. She didn't take it as well as you have, I'm afraid. Took her a couple weeks to recover."

Chloe bit her thumb. "That's when you said you had broken your therapist."

"Yes."

"Why did you decide to work with us?" Ella asked nervously. “Is this some grand plan? Some beginning of the End of the World thing, some part of Revelation?” She asked. Lucifer smiled sadly. He knew Ella had re-embraced religion in her last few years, and was intent of seeing Father as the so-called benevolent all-loving being that so many humans believed. He wished he could tell her otherwise, make her feel better – or understand the real truth - about the whole situation.

But he did not lie.

"I am a punisher. That is what I do. Contrary to popular opinion - human or otherwise – as I said, I am not 'evil incarnate'. I punish the guilty. Solving homicides gives me a good chance to do so." He took another long drink. “But Miss Lopez, you are correct. There is a ‘Grand Plan’ but I have no idea what it is. None of us do. That is Father’s thing. But I assure you. Whatever the plan is, it isn’t a good plan. And no, this isn’t the end of the world.”

“So why are you here?” She asked, curious but hesitant.

“Because I was bored. Millenia upon millenia of torturing and punishing guilty humans takes a toll.” He sounded nonchalant but Chloe knew better. “I needed a vacation, and so I took it. Took the opportunity to embrace my Devil-Self and live as I saw fit. To take advantage of the free-will I so fought and suffered for. And why wouldn’t I? Earth can be a very exciting place.” He grinned now, a little of his old bravado in place and Chloe was relieved to see he was almost back to his typical wanton pleasure-loving self.

She chuckled a little at how the term ‘Devil-May-Care’ was so appropriate in this place. She wondered if somehow Lucifer had inspired someone to make up the original line.

“How…how did you become the Devil? I mean, you were kicked out of heaven for wanting free will. But then there are stories of you tempting Eve, tempting Jesus, tempting humans to commit evil.” Ella looked conflicted and slightly confused. “It’s just the Bible says…”

Lucifer smiled sadly at her. “The Bible was written by a bunch of men and woman who simply wanted to tell a few meaningful stories. It is there to teach you right and wrong, good and evil, and they use these stories to teach humans how to behave. Unfortunately, those smug bastards cast me in the role of evil. Half of it isn’t even true, just fairy tales made up to entertain the kids, and the other half are events that did occurred in human history, twisted to make a point.”

Ella’s brow narrowed. “Even the story about you tempting Jesus?”

Lucifer chuckled a little. “Especially that one. He was the one who asked me!”

All three looked puzzled. “What?”

“I came top-side for a bit of a reprieve and decided to finally meet my dear half-brother. He _asked_ me to test him. He wanted to test his fortitude, to see how fallible he was, how devoted to dear old dad he thought himself to be. I agreed, thinking it would be fun to see how much will-power and faith he truly had. And trust me he never fasted for 40 days! Utter bollocks. Let’s just say he didn’t pass most of the tests. He mostly asked me a lot of questions. I explained to him about Hell, how guilty humans sent themselves to Hell to atone for their sins, that I was Punisher, that humans had free will to decide their fate. Why do you think he was so adamant about confessing sins and offering forgiveness? He didn’t want anyone to trap themselves there over their guilt. Of course, it would be twisted into me being the Evil instigator that tried to turn _him_ to darkness!”

“Wow.” It was all Ella could respond with.

 _“_ So you originally were an Angel, because you obviously have wings.” Dan started.

“Obviously.”

“So how do you make them disappear? Your brothers and sister did the same thing.”

Lucifer sighed a little but understood. Humans were a curious lot, and he expected LAPD investigators would be some of the most question-filled. “We have the ability to make them disappear, because let’s face it, humans become a bit untethered upon seeing them, what can I say? They disappear to another plane of existence. Not visible to humans.”

“Whoa.” Ella and Dan echoed together. “There’s planes of existance?” Dan added, clearly trying to wrap his head around the concept of ‘planes of existance’.

Right at that moment, the elevator dinged at this, and Linda and Amenadiel stepped into the penthouse.

“Chloe called and told us there was an emergency. What happened, Luci?” Amenadiel was the first to speak.

“Chloe said this was serious.” Linda added, both heading to the living area.

“I received a little visit from our dear siblings. Gabriel, Michael and Azrael.

Both Linda and Amenadiel’s mouths’ dropped open in shock. ‘You what?”

And because of our dear siblings, it appears my identity is out in the open. Grab yourself a drink and pull up a chair.” Lucifer said as he pointed to the bar. Though healed from Gabriel’s feathers, he could feel the exhaustion starting to pull at him. Right now, he just wanted some peace and quiet, with a bottle of scotch and his piano, but he promised information and explanations. “It’s a long story.”

…………………….

After the long detailed story was relayed to Amenadiel and Linda and all of the subsequent questions answered, the room grew silent. Everyone seemed mentally exhausted. Lucifer himself was still sore from his encounter and was working on Bourbon Bottle Number Two to help ease his pain. Though everyone was in information saturation and overload, no one wanted to leave.

It was as though they were waiting to wake up from a dream, or for God to touch down and state, ‘Yes, my children, it’s all real.’

Chloe was biting her thumb in thought before breaking the silence. “Uh, Lucifer. Can I talk to you…um… alone.”

All heads popped out of their reverie. Lucifer’s eyebrow rose slightly in surprise, but he hid it well.

“As you wish, Detective.”

Chloe looked at the others and realized in order to _talk_ , she’d have to kick them out. She didn’t want to do that. She could tell from the expressions on their faces they didn’t want to leave either, as strange as it seemed.

Most would want to flee.

“How about on the balcony? It’s nice outside.” She pointed to the glassed in area at the far end of the living space. Huge black floor-to-ceiling curtains hung from either side of the glass wall and she could see a table and four comfortable looking chairs just waiting outside on the patio.

Lucifer nodded, rising from his seat, and held out his hand, beckoning her in a gentlemanly fashion. She flashed him a nervous smile. “We’ll be back in a bit. I just need…uh, thanks guys.” She couldn’t explain, but her friends all knew.

Lucifer held open the door, but before Chloe stepped through, she pulled the large dark curtains to shield them from the others. She wanted privacy. The fact that she wanted this privacy seemed to surprise yet interest Lucifer.

Instead of taking a seat in one of the cushioned chairs, he headed for the edge of the balcony railing. Leaning on the polished wide wooden railing, he pulled out his silver cigarette case and lit a smoke.

He took a long first drag before Chloe took a spot next to him, leaning on the rail as he was.

She held out her hand, pointing at his cigarette. “Do you mind?” She gestured.

Lucifer’s eyebrows arched in surprise but without a word, handed over his cigarette. Chloe took a long inhale, coughing slightly as she did. Another drag, and her shoulders almost seemed to relax.

“I used to smoke in high school. And when I started college.” She clarified Lucifer’s unasked question. “Did it because I guess it was the cool thing to do. Everyone on set smoked too. But I quit when I decided I wanted to become a police officer.”

She handed the smoke back to Lucifer. They remained in silence for another 10 minutes, just passing the cigarette -and the second one - between each other, leaning on the balcony and taking in the beautiful Los Angeles night view.

………………………….

He turned, gazing into Chloe's eyes, at her strength and confidence. "Now you know the truth Detective."

Chloe frowned. "This is what you've been trying to tell me, what you've been telling me for so long."

The tall man just nodded.

She gave a slight smile, pointing towards his shoulder. She took another step forward. "You have wings."

"Yes."

"Why...why didn't you show me before?" She asked, moving so that she was standing not one foot from her partner. She looked up into his face, could see the pain in his eyes.

"I...I didn't know how. I guess I was afraid of your reaction. I just didn't know...."

"You didn't know how I would react. That I might get scared off." She frowned. "I understand. I really do. I mean…everything we saw on screen. I can’t deny that it messed us up.”

Lucifer frowned. He expected this reaction.

“Are you really called the Prince of Darkness?”

“Prince of Darkness. King of Hell. Lord of Hell. Satan. There are many names to which I am referred to by others. Whatever you want to call it, I am it.” He shrugged his shoulders, as though he didn’t care.

But Chloe knew better. He did care.

She smiled. “I mean, it sounds so strange. Medieval. I don’t know….”

“Do you think I stylized myself to be a ruler?”

She paused, thinking about all of the crazy knowledge that she had learned in the past couple of hours. “You never wanted to be a _Ruler_ , or a _King_ , or a _Prince_ , or anything like that. That’s not the Lucifer I know.”

His face softened at her realization. So many had always assumed the Devil was about wielding power and control through evil actions.

“No. Never. I just wanted free will.” He plainly stated.

Chloe smiled, tears gathering in her eyes. She moved slowly towards him, towards his rigid self. Wrapping her arms around his waist, she leaned her head against his chest, squeezing just enough to feel his solid form in her arms, in her soul.

This was the Devil. This was an Angel. But he was everything human to her.

She squeezed tight. “Lucifer, you are my friend. Sometimes I think you could be a close friend…or more. But..."

"But I _am_ the Devil."

"Fallen Angel."

"Same difference."

Chloe sighed. “Lucifer…those things... Some of those things Michael said. I…I could never believe it of you. You are a good person, whatever your family may think."

She looked up at him, from her position leaning on his chest. When did he ever seem so tall?

He _was_ tall, and beaming at her words. She felt a slight vibration, and heard a whoosh, and saw bright white brilliantly beautiful wings appear. There was a small glow to them that gave them the most ethereal look.

They slowly curled forward and around her, wrapping her up in the most exquisite luxury and warmth she could ever imagine.

“You cut these off before, didn’t you?”

He remained silent but she already knew the answer.

Chloe pulled deeper against Lucifer, wanting to feel everything about his body. “Please. Never do that again. I want you to have wings. I want you to be your true self. To be whatever complex mess you are.”

He laughed a little at her comment before suddenly deciding. “You can touch them, if you wish.”

“Are you sure?” She was looking up at him almost hesitant.

Lucifer just nodded, a small smile on his face.

He sighed, enjoying as his detective started running her hands down his chest, over his shoulders and along the top edge of his wings, making his feathers flutter and his heart swell.

She looked closely at the feathers of his wings, and noticed that as she was running her hands down his front, the glow seemed to become brighter. She pulled back a little, and saw the bright feathers slightly dim.

“You told your siblings that you called yourself Lucifer because it means light-bringer. What did you do, when you were an Angel? Before you fell?”

He pointed at the night sky. “I created the stars.” He pointed up at the LA night sky, a few stars barely twinkling.

She pulled back even more, while Lucifer pulled his wings back to allow her to move. “You created the _stars_?” She asked in disbelief.

“Father and Mum were responsible for the initial creation of this Universe. The Big Bang, as you humans call it. It was my job to determine and set the contents. To create the stars and galaxies in such a way to allow the universe to be stable, functional and self-sustaining. It took a few tries to get the right combinations and configurations.” He shrugged nonchalantly, as though creating massive superheated balls of gas that dotted the universe and eventually lead to human life was a mere trivial task.

She shook her head in disbelief, trying to wrap her mind around Lucifer’s answer. “You know what. I’m starting to get information overload again. I think my brain is not processing properly.” She shook her head. “I need to stop thinking.”

Lucifer pulled his wings in, neatly folding them behind his back. He looked worried.

“Promise me that I can ask you anything anytime, once my head clears? And you will be truthful.”

“I never lie, Detective. And I promise you I will.”

He studied Chloe carefully, wondering how she would digest and process the information. The others too? Would they accept it? Reject it? Think they were crazy? How would they finally react?

He felt a tinge of fear run though him.

Lucifer had to admit to himself he was worried they would distance themselves, move on from him. They would no longer be in his life.

That Chloe would no longer be in his life.

He would soon find out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- Apologies for the delay!! There should be another chapter after this, an epilogue of sorts I think at this point.  
> \- Yes, Chloe shares a smoke with Lucifer, because why not!!  
> \- Thanks to everyone reading and enjoying my crazy story!  
> \- Comments and Kudos adored and truly appreciated!

**Author's Note:**

> Loved writing this one, hope everyone enjoys. Comments and kudos always welcome and adored!


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